Home Wireless Earbuds Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 Vs. Jabra Elite 5

A Review By Comparison of the Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 Vs. Jabra Elite 5

Last updated on Mar 14, 2023   7 min read
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Bowers & Wilkins PI7

Bowers & Wilkins PI7

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Reasons why you might like the Bowers & Wilkins PI7

Overall Score 6.4 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.

  • Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating of IP54
  • Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)
  • Battery Life of 4.5 hours
  • Has Usb Type-C
  • Number Of Microphones of 6 only
  • Has Ambient Sound Mode
VS
Jabra Elite 5

Jabra Elite 5

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Reasons why you might like the Jabra Elite 5

Overall Score 5.7 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.

  • Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating of IP55
  • Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)
  • Battery Life of 9 hours
  • Has Usb Type-C
  • Number Of Microphones of 6 only
  • Has Ambient Sound Mode

A summary of the review by feature comparison

Category Features Bowers & Wilkins PI7 Jabra Elite 5
DESIGN ingress protection (ip) rating IP54 IP55
weight 50g 10g
has no wires or cables
sweat resistance
has stereo speakers
SOUND QUALITY has active noise cancellation (noise control)
has passive noise reduction
driver unit size 9.2mm 6mm
lowest frequency 10Hz 20Hz
highest frequency 20000Hz 20000Hz
POWER battery life 4.5hours 9hours
battery life of charging case 18hours 27hours
charge time 3hours 2hours
has wireless charging
has a battery level indicator
CONNECTIVITY has usb type-c
bluetooth version v5 v5.2
maximum bluetooth range 10meters 10meters
has aac
has aptx adaptive
has aptx hd
MICROPHONE number of microphones 6only 6only
has a noise-canceling microphone
EXTRAS has ambient sound mode
has in/on-ear detection
has find earbuds feature
supports fast charging
has a mute function
control panel placed on a device
warranty period 2Years
has voice prompts
travel bag is included
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A breakdown of the review per specifications

Design

Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 IP54
Jabra Elite 5 IP55

Ingress protection ratings refer to the level of protection given by a casing, against solids and liquids. In the format of IPXX, 'X' represents a number The first value represents protection against solids such as dust, while the second refers to resistance against liquids (water).

Having a value of IP54, the Bowers & Wilkins PI7's rating for solids indicates that ingress of dust is not totally prevented but dust does not enter in harmful quantities to interfere with the correct operation or impair safety, and the second number of 4 means that they can withstand low pressure spray similar to that of a shower head when tilted at 180° for 10 minutes.

Compared to the Bowers & Wilkins PI7, Jabra Elite 5 have a rating of IP55 meaning that they both have the same rating against dust and that of liquids is that, Bowers & Wilkins PI7 has a lower liquid rating than Jabra Elite 5

Weight

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 50g
Jabra Elite 5 10g

The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have a weight of 50g . We consider a lower weight better for the reason that lighter devices are easier to carry.

The Jabra Elite 5, at 10g weigh less than the Bowers & Wilkins PI7 with a difference -40g

Has No Wires Or Cables

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Jabra Elite 5

True wireless devices have no wires linking any part of the device together, Bowers & Wilkins PI7 are true wireless for this matter since they don't have cables. This is a key difference since wireless earbuds have cables linking the pair of earbuds together.

Jabra Elite 5 also is true wireless since it has no cables connecting the pair of earbuds together.

Sweat Resistance

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Jabra Elite 5

Jabra Elite 5 have sweat resistance

Has Stereo Speakers

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Jabra Elite 5

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have stereo speakers, devices with stereo speakers deliver sound from separate channels on both left and right sides, this creates a richer sound and a better listening experience.

Both Jabra Elite 5 and Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have stereo speakers

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
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Sound Quality

Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Jabra Elite 5

ANC makes use of advanced kind of tech to actively counter noise. ANC works when, it studies the sound pattern of incoming noise and generates a mirror signal to counter it. Simply put, it's like taking +1 (noise) then producing -1 (counter sound by the device) giving 0 hence "diluting" the noise.

The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have ANC allowing you to listen at lower levels of volume, causing less ear fatigue as you don't have to crank up the earbuds volume to overcome background sounds.

Jabra Elite 5 too have Active Noise Cancellation which makes either of the earbuds ideal for plane rides and rush hour commutes. Each operate with different noise cancellation settings, pick the noise cancellation type that you prefer for commute or that suites your relaxation time.

Has Passive Noise Reduction

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Jabra Elite 5

The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 sit well in place, this creates a sound covering that reduces your environment noise while preventing the device music from leaking out .

Both of these devices have passive noise reduction which means that both limit ambient noise instead of actively using ANC to cancel it out.

Driver Unit Size

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 9.2mm
Jabra Elite 5 6mm

The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 driver unit is 9.2mm in diameter, bigger drivers are more powerful, and can produce better bass. The driver unit is the component that makes sound in the earbuds, its size dictates the sound made by the device.

Jabra Elite 5 driver unit is 6mm in diameter, which implies that they have a smaller driver unit than that of Bowers & Wilkins PI7 by 3.2mm , many people have a misconception that driver units of a bigger size automatically produce better sound quality.

However, large drivers usually have difficulty producing high frequencies so yeah, larger drivers are capable of generating louder sound, but this does not imply that they produce better quality sound.

Lowest Frequency

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 10Hz
Jabra Elite 5 20Hz

The Bowers & Wilkins PI7's lowest frequency is at 10Hz, low-frequency response inidcates how well an audio device produces low frequencies that can be heard, and if it alters the signal while at it.

Jabra Elite 5's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, this means that Bowers & Wilkins PI7 can produce a juicier bass than the Jabra Elite 5

Highest Frequency

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 20000Hz
Jabra Elite 5 20000Hz

The Bowers & Wilkins PI7's highest frequency is at 20000Hz, high-frequency response shows how well an audio component generates high recognizable frequencies and if it makes any changes to the signal while at it.

Jabra Elite 5's highest frequency is at 20000Hz, this implies that both devices produce equal treble

Power

Battery Life

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 4.5hours
Jabra Elite 5 9hours

Bowers & Wilkins PI7's battery life is 4.5 hours, these last less than 5 hours of listening which is considered average before recharge. A device's battery life is given by the manufacturer, and with longer battery life, you get to use it for longer and requires fewer chargings.

Jabra Elite 5's battery life is more than that of Bowers & Wilkins PI7 by 4.5 hours . Every time you recharge your device, they get a little less playing time. The effect is not noticeable at first, but over time, your wireless earbuds will have shorter listening time.

Battery Life Of Charging Case

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 18hours
Jabra Elite 5 27hours

This is given by the vendor, and Bowers & Wilkins PI7's case has a full charge of 18 hours. A charging case with more battery hours enables you to recharge your earbuds on the go multiple times before having to recharge the case itself.

Jabra Elite 5's charging case has a battery life of 27 hours, more than that of Bowers & Wilkins PI7 by 9 hours

Charge Time

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 3hours
Jabra Elite 5 2hours

It takes 3 hours to fully charge the Bowers & Wilkins PI7's battery. It is recommended to charge fully the battery before using the earbuds for the first time.

Jabra Elite 5 takes 2 hours to fully charge the battery, less than that of Bowers & Wilkins PI7 by 1 hours

Has Wireless Charging

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Jabra Elite 5

The Bowers & Wilkins PI7, the device supports wireless charging. To charge the device, you just place down on a compatible charging pad.

Jabra Elite 5 also support wireless charging, take note of the charging standard of a device.

Has A Battery Level Indicator

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Jabra Elite 5

The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have a battery level indicator, an indicator alerts you when the earbuds has a low battery. Its lights display the charging status of your device and charging case.

Jabra Elite 5 too have a battery level indicator, these allow you determine the charging state of your earbuds, whether fully charged, or the battery is running low.

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
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Connectivity

Has Usb Type-C

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Jabra Elite 5

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have USB TYPE-C, a standard connector for transmitting both data and power through a single cable.

Jabra Elite 5 too have USB TYPE-C. This USB-C plug is part and parcel of most current laptops, phones, and tablets.

Bluetooth Version

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 v5
Jabra Elite 5 v5.2

The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have Bluetooth version of 5, Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard that allows data movement between devices placed in range, using short-wavelength, ultra-high frequency radio waves.

Jabra Elite 5 has a Bluetooth version of 5.2, newer than that of Bowers & Wilkins PI7 . Newer versions provide faster data transfers.

Maximum Bluetooth Range

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 10meters
Jabra Elite 5 10meters

The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have a 10meters distance to connect via Bluetooth.

Jabra Elite 5 have a maximum range of 10meters, equal to that of the Bowers & Wilkins PI7

Has Aac

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Jabra Elite 5

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support AAC, a codec used for Bluetooth audio. It supports 24-bit audio at 250kbps. Since it uses psychoacoustic modeling, it provides better results than other codecs at a similar bit rate.

Being the highest quality codec that any Bluetooth-supporting Apple product supports, the Bowers & Wilkins PI7 will work well with your iPhone. If you intend on using these with Android , ensure that they also support aptX HD, LDAC, or LHDC as well.

The Jabra Elite 5 support AAC as well. Designed to be the successor of the MP3 format, AAC generally achieves higher sound quality than MP3 encoders at the same bit rate.

Has Aptx Adaptive

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Jabra Elite 5

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support APTX Adaptive, an audio codec for Bluetooth devices that are developed by Qualcomm. It has a variable bit rate (between 279kbps and 420kbps).

Has Aptx Hd

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Jabra Elite 5

The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support APTX HD, an audio codec for Bluetooth devices that are developed by Qualcomm. It supports high-quality 24-bit audio (at a bit rate of 576kbps).

Microphone

Number Of Microphones

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 6only
Jabra Elite 5 6only

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have 6 microphones.

Jabra Elite 5 microphones are 6, equal to that of the Bowers & Wilkins PI7 . More microphones record better sound quality and help the device to filter out background sounds.

Has A Noise-Canceling Microphone

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Jabra Elite 5

The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 use a noise-canceling type of microphone, these microphones are designed to filter out noise from the earbuds' sound.

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
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Extras

Has Ambient Sound Mode

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Jabra Elite 5

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support ambient sound mode, which uses microphones to channel ambient noises to still be heard even when wearing the earbuds

The Jabra Elite 5 support ambient sound mode as well, it’s useful when you want to listen to music but also be aware of your surrounding, say you’re having a jog but would still want to hear traffic.

Has In/On-Ear Detection

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Jabra Elite 5

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have in/on-ear detection, the sensors in the earbuds can detect when removed from your ears so that the music is paused.

Has Find Earbuds Feature

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Jabra Elite 5

If misplaced in a room, or can't be found in your bag, the Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have a find earbuds feature.

Supports Fast Charging

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Jabra Elite 5

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support fast charging. Commonly, technologies like MediaTek’s Pump Express, are used to lower the amount of time it takes to fully charge a device.

Jabra Elite 5 support fast charging. This kind is similar to regular charging, only that the battery fills up much faster. For example, with Quick Charge 3.0, the battery is charged to 50% in 30 minutes.

Has A Mute Function

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Jabra Elite 5

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have a mute function, they have the option to mute/unmute a conversation directly from the device.

The Jabra Elite 5 also have the mute function. It means that you unilaterally turn off the device's microphone, but still hear the other party talk.

Control Panel Placed On A Device

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Jabra Elite 5

With the Bowers & Wilkins PI7, so you can access the volume control, pause, play, mute, etc whichever features are supported on the device.

Jabra Elite 5 too have a control panel on them.

Warranty Period

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Jabra Elite 5 2Years

Jabra Elite 5 have a warranty period of 2 Years, the period of time that warrant free repair and adjustment services in case of a malfunction occurring under normal use that has followed instruction manuals.

Has Voice Prompts

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Jabra Elite 5

The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support voice prompts. Automatically receive information through audio messages, like if there is an issue with the connection.

Jabra Elite 5 too support voice prompts .i.e the device will notify you when the battery is low, and it's time to recharge them.

Travel Bag Is Included

Bowers & Wilkins PI7
Jabra Elite 5

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 come with their own special pouch. Carrying earphones openly, or placing them in your bag without a casing may easily damage them.

Jabra Elite 5 also have a travel bag included, which offers safe transportation.

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